Speaking at a campaign stop in his home state yesterday, Texas Governor and Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Perry announced his intentions to make the Environmental Protection Agency unapologetically pro-pollution.

“I’ll tell you one thing: The EPA officials we have an opportunity to put in place, they’re going to be pro-business, and there’s not going to be any apologies to anybody about it,” he said. “Those agencies won’t know what hit ‘em.”

It’s not hard to see why Perry would want environmental regulations to be crafted by polluters, considering that he’s taken $11 million from the oil and gas industry since 1998. Meanwhile, Perry has stepped up his attacks on climate science by falsely claiming that researchers manipulated data for money.

Perry attended the town hall meeting shortly before surveying the damage from a catastrophic wildfire in central Texas. The fire was strengthened by winds from Tropical Storm Lee and a record-shattering drought in the state – two factors that climatologists agree will get worse as the world continues to warm. Wildfires have already burned a land area the size of Connecticut in state this year.

One Texas-based climatologist recently explained that “it’s likely that much of Texas will still be in a severe drought this time next summer.” Indeed, there is still no rainfall expected for the state.

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37 Responses to Rick Perry: The EPA ‘Won’t Know What Hit ‘Em’

Perry doesn’t really know what’s hit Texas, in terms of climate change. I’m not praying for his enlightenment, as feedback from his fellow Texans might be more useful.

The water shortage there is going to get new layers of ugly while the drought persists. The cities have been buffered by reservoirs, but that’s not enough or the whole picture. Conflicts over the water rights of states and the US – Mexico border are going to heat up given the forecast of continued drought.

Witnessing the places of disaster is the best way of coping with fear and anxiety. After months of severe drought in Texas, and record temperatures almost every day and up to 112 F, massive wildfire was only to be expected. Climate change activists are angry with the denial of history and science, fossil politics, fossil corporations.

As we approach the growing disaster area, we see the cars of refugees, trucks, tractors fleeing a wall of smoke. An old black settler tells us: never seen a drought like this in my life, born here raised here… Reminds me of numerous refugees flows I saw in war zone areas: same blank frightened faces, and a stubborn will not to depart from the scene of crime.

Texas is so dry that even tropical storm “Lee” caused wildfires to explode, burning hundreds of homes.

When Texans prayed recently for a tropical storm to help end the drought I don’t think they had “Lee” in mind. Now their own leader is calling for unrestrained pumping of weather fuel into the atmosphere.

Somewhere along the line, Texas crude morphed from an “all-good, powering-America” product to a ominous threat to our food, security and happiness. So far they haven’t had a strong adult lead them through that psychological transition. But the dream is burning right in front of their eyes. Tough times for Texans.

Joe; This picture of Perry reminds me of a widely circulated picture of Saddam Hussein in front of a large croud brandishing a gun. You should post the two togather. I have a hard time associating this image with the American presidency.

My mother suffered from TB as a child because of the hard coal that was burned and blanketed the city in the 1920s. My children will not live in a similar polluted atmosphere no matter what Rick Perry says. If he wants a fight, bring it on.

Let him fight the fires in TX with the tar balls coming up on the beaches in AL today.

I haven’t been here much since TP instituted the latest format because of the FB tie-in. I’ve been commenting on TP since its inception and just cannot stand seeing everything permeated and corrupted by FB.

What exactly would you need the EPA for in this pro business administration? Do they help them pollute? Find the best streams to dump the waste in? Maybe keep a list of all the regulations they don’t enforce??
If he wants to save money just cut the EPA entirelly but keeping the EPA to help them pollute better seems a waste of money for this Tea Party Pinhead.

Just think all, with President Rick Perry you too can have a brown layer of muck hovering on the skyline just like we have here in Houston. And as an added bonus…we’ll throw in high instances of cancer.

Really hate to say it, but this guy will likely be the next president. The republican nomination is between Perry and Romney, and since the GOP has been hijacked by the far right, Romney doesn’t have a chance. Next up is President Obama, but the people don’t like him. He’s cerebral and bi-partisan and thoughtful in the truest sense of the word. Our fellow citizens are in the mood for action and tough talk. Enough swing voters will drift over to Perry. Let’s face it, the mass of people aren’t bright.

Just what we need. Another rootin’ tootin’ shootin’ pseudo-cowboy for president. We know AT&T owns him already. So who else is he going suck up to? Obviously the Koch brothers will saddle up when they realize Michele Bachmann is a losing bet. Goldman Sachs will hedge their bets too and contribute to this lunatic that is Rick Perry.

A wee OT: Just passed by the religious station, TBN, playing Perry’s “The Response” rally along with an interview and I literally feel sick to my stomach.

How are we ever going to save this country from becoming a theocracy? How are we going to be able save ourselves from corporate lords when our own President is in bed with them? I hate to sound like doom but let’s face it – we can’t even cast a vote without it being hijacked or bought!

Lung cancer death rates were compared with average pollution levels, as measured in micrograms per cubic meter of air. The researchers found that the number of lung cancer deaths increased 8% for every increase of 10 micrograms. Other heart- and lung-related causes of death increased 6% for every 10-microgram increase. ( http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2002-03-05-pollution.htm )

Governor Perry may be correct in his assessment that the EPA won’t know what hit them if he becomes President. However Texas now knows how the future climate will look hit them if we have a President Perry.

With due respect to Jefferson’s remark that the tree of liberty must on occasion be refreshed by the blood of patriots and tyrants — this is still America, flawed though its processes currently are. Beware of pols* bearing guns.